1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer entertainment content delivery; specifically, a system in which entertainment content is delivered episodically over a network.
2. Background of the Invention
Currently, computer entertainment (xe2x80x9cgamesxe2x80x9d) are distributed to users as complete individual packages. For example, if a user would like to play a new game offered by an entertainment company, the user typically buys a CD-ROM or downloads a file(s) and data. The game provides a complete content or theme in which the game takes place. For example, if a user wants to play Myst(trademark), the user purchases the Myst(trademark) CD-ROM and plays through the game, as fast as the user is able or desires. Then, when the user wants to play a sequel to Myst(trademark), the user waits for the makers of Myst(trademark) to produce a sequel, typically 18 months after the release of the initial version of the game. The user then purchases the CD-ROM sequel and plays it as before. The games are typically produced by the entertainment company using the latest technology available at the time of development of the application. Using the latest technology is an important marketing tool for application developers, as users prefer realistic and immersive gaming environments. However, due to the rapid pace of technological development, upon release, a game may already be using out-of-date technology. For example, during the development period of a game, technological advancements may occur multiple times. However, these later advancements cannot be included in the end product because the developer must fix the technology used to implement the game during development. Thus, the entertainment company is continually offering an application module that does not provide the most current technology, and generally fails to include technological developments occurring during the development of the game.
Additionally, the conventional method of entertainment content delivery ineffectively builds a mass following because users may purchase the game and become involved in different parts of the gaming experience at different times. Thus, a significant portion of users may have completed the game while many other users have just begun, and thus these groups are segregated based on their different time-based experiences of the game. The conventional method also fails to provide current gaming experiences for those games in which current events play a role in the gaming experience. In the conventional entertainment content delivery scheme, the content is fixed at the time of delivery, and cannot be updated until a new version or sequel of the game is developed, typically 18 months later. As with technological developments, current events occurring during the development of a game may not be able to be used, because of the need to fix the content during development. Additionally, the static nature of conventional content delivery systems cannot take advantage of new technology, such as the Internet for providing new types of gaming experiences.
Thus, a new method of delivering entertainment content is needed in which technological changes can be incorporated into application modules as the changes occur, in which a broad following of users can be developed through providing a common time-based gaming experience, and in which current events can be integrated into the content of the application module. Further, a new method of delivering content is needed which can take advantage of new technologies for communication with a user to provide new types of gaming experiences.
The present invention provides for episodic delivery of entertainment content. More specifically, in one embodiment, an application module for a game or other form of entertainment content is created with episodic content technology, which can be purchased as a CD-ROM or downloaded from a remote server. In one embodiment, the application module contains a current version of the game and modular component technology to allow future episodes to be downloaded and executed. In a preferred embodiment, an entertainment content delivery system is implemented through a centralized server that maintains content that is made available to users at periodic intervals, for example, monthly. Thus, by providing a game in a plurality of episodes, each episode can comprise the latest technology then available. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, technological improvements can be delivered to the public as they occur.
For example, if the game is a conspiracy role-playing game in which users must uncover clues and solve a mystery, the first-obtained version of the application module contains the data to support a current episode of the game and the latest technology to implement the game. Then, at periodic intervals, a new episode is made available to users, and the users can play a new episode as the new episodes become available. Each of these new episodes contains the latest available technology and/or content. In a preferred embodiment, the period for delivery is monthly, and therefore any technological improvements can be delivered to the public within months after the technological improvements occur. In contrast, in conventional systems, technological improvements cannot be easily implemented into a game until years after the improvements occur.
In accordance with the present invention, the current instantiation of the application module segregates technology components from content components of the application module to allow later developed technology to be seamlessly applied to previously created episodes. Also, as the stages of the game are enabled only in an episodic format, all users can experience the current stage simultaneously, thus creating the potential for a mass following of a game through the generation of simultaneously experienced game situations.
A further benefit of the present invention is that as games are episodically delivered, an initial episode only requires implementation of a portion of the overall storyline and thus the time to market is very short. In contrast, in conventional systems, an entire complex storyline must be developed and perfected prior to initial release of the game. Additionally, the technology implementing the entire storyline must be implemented and debugged. Thus, the time to market for a product manufactured using conventional processes is much longer than the time to market for an initial episode of content as generated by the present invention.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention uses the Internet as the medium for delivering the episodic content. Accordingly, various new mechanisms for delivering a gaming experience are also provided in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, a user preferably provides or is provided an e-mail address, a voice mailbox, and/or a facsimile number and various other content transport mechanisms such as web sites, hot mail, and pagers, with which the content deliverer can communicate with the user. Then, information related to the game is provided to the user through these various mediums as part of an episode or during the interval between episodes. These new methods greatly enhance the gaming experience of a user. For example, in a preferred embodiment, a character in an episode can leave voice-mail messages to a user relating some information relevant to the game, for example, a clue to a mystery posed by the game. E-mails and facsimiles may also be used to relay information from within the game to users of the game. Thus, the episodic nature of the present invention enables new types of transport mechanisms to be used to deliver the entertainment content to provide new types of gaming experiences.
In a further embodiment, the pace of play is managed from a centralized server to ensure the communal gaming experience is as simultaneous as possible. For example, although monthly installments of the game may be made available, episodic content such as clues required to proceed to a next stage may be made available only on a conditional basis. The conditions may be predicated on a user accomplishing a task, for example, discovering a certain web site, or may be time based, to ensure that all players reach the same points in the game at approximately the same time. Finally, current events can be integrated into the game due to its episodic delivery and modular component technology, thus providing a more realistic and entertaining gaming experience. For example, for a conspiracy game, an actual current event of nuclear secret espionage with a foreign state can be integrated into the game, even if the application module was first delivered prior to the events occurring or being known to the public. If the current event is part of the back story, the current event can be incorporated in the next installment of the game, thus providing a real-time feel to the gaming experience. In one embodiment, a news story is placed on a web site and the link information is transferred to the users through one of the means described above. In a further embodiment, third party web sites having content related to the entertainment content are used to host the episodic content, and the application developer can place the clues at a third party site and thus direct web traffic to the third party in exchange for some monetary or other benefit. Thus, the present invention provides delivery of episodic content of a game, resulting in a shorter time to market, increased responsiveness to technological change, a communal user experience, and flexibility to incorporate current events.